Mounting step for automotive vehicle

ABSTRACT

In a automotive vehicle having an access door above a front wheel, a removable step assembly located at the center of a front wheel and mounted to the front spindle of the automobile. There is a first mounting member comprising an extension nut which is threaded onto and locked to the front spindle. At the outer end of the extension nut is a hexagonal locking head connected by a neck portion of reduced diameter. The removable step has at its inner end a locking member comprising a pair of downwardly extending arms which reach around the neck of the extension nut, and is formed with a locking recess which mates with the locking head. A spring member mounted to the step adjacent the two locking arms holds the step in place and prevents any rattling of the step. A locking tab secures the extension nut to the automobile&#39;&#39;s front spindle.

United States Patet [191 Brooks, Jr, et al.

[54] MOUNTING STEP FOR AUTOMOTIVE VEHICLE [76] Inventors: Paul Brooks,Jr., 621 Northeast 78th Street; Clarence 0. Teeters, 1021 1-l2th AvenueNortheast, both of Seattle, Wash.

[22] Filed: Apr. 22, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 136,380

[52] 11.8. CI ..280/163, 280/165 [51] Int. Cl ..B60v 3/02 [58] Field ofSearch ..280/163, 166, 291

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,218,060 10/1940 Watson..280/l66 3,484,829 12/1969 Erickson ....280/291 3,096,841 7/1963 May..280/291 1 May 22,1973

Primary ExaminerLeo Friaglia Assistant Examiner-Robert R. SongAtt0meyGraybeal, Cole & Barnard [57] ABSTRACT In a automotive vehiclehaving an access door above a front wheel, a removable step assemblylocated at the center of a front wheel and mounted to the front spindleof the automobile. There is a first mounting member comprising anextension nut which is threaded onto and locked to the front spindle. Atthe outer end of the extension nut is a hexagonal locking head connectedby a neck portion of reduced diameter. The removable step has at itsinner end a locking member comprising a pair of downwardly extendingarms which reach around the neck of the extension nut, and is formedwith a locking recess which mates with the locking head. A spring membermounted to the step adjacent the two locking arms holds the step inplace and prevents any rattling of the step. A locking tab secures theextension nut to the automobiles front spindle.

l 1 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PATENTEW 3,734,534

.- SHEET 1 OF 2 PAUL BROOKS JR. CLARENCE O. TEETERS INVENTOK ATTORNEYSPATENIEwYzz I973 SHEET 2 OF 2 FIG lFllGo 5 PAUL BROOKS JR.

CLARENCE O. TEETERS INVENTOR ATTORNEYS MOUNTING STEP FOR AUTOMOTIVEVEHICLE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention Thepresent invention relates to a removable step especially adapted for usein van type automobiles where the front door is directly above the frontwheel of the automobile.

2. Description of the Prior Art For van type automobiles wherein theaccess door is mounted above a front wheel, there is no prior art knownto the applicant where the access step is removably mounted to the wheelspindle for easy ingress and egress through the doorway. Perhaps themost relevant prior art is that shown in US. Pat. No. l,l49,338, whereina step is splined onto the axle of the vehicle and wedged fixedlythereon by means of several locking keys for use, for example, by adelivery boy riding outside the vehicle by standing on the step.

One of the problems of providing a removable access step in the area ofa front wheel of a modern day van type automotive vehicle is that thestep may be easily removable to permit repairs to and service of thevehicle (e.g., changing a flat tire, packing the front wheel bearings,etc.). On the other hand, the step must be securely mounted to theautomotive vehicle to insure the safety of a person either entering orleaving the vehicle. To the best knowledge of the applicants herein,such a device does not exist in the prior art.

Thus, it is an object of the present invention to provide for a van typeautomotive vehicle having an access door above a wheel of said vehicle,an access step which is easily removable and yet can be securely mountedto the spindle of the vehicle wheel for easy access into and egress fromthe vehicle through the door above the wheel.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention comprises, in combinationwith an automotive vehicle having a spindle with a ground wheel mountedthereon and an access door above the wheel, a removable step assemblycomprising a mounting member rigidly attached to said spindle and havingfirst interlocking means comprising an outer locking head and a neck ofreduced diameter spaced inwardly therefrom, and a step member havinginterlocking means engageable with the head and neck portion of thefirst member, which interlocking means comprises a pair of arms whichfit about the neck portion of the mounting member and an interlockingrecess which interfits with the locking head. A holding spring having apair of arms which fit around the neck portion of the mounting memberholds the step securely to the mounting member.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a van typeautomotive vehicle with the apparatus of the present invention installedthereon;

FIG. 2 is an isometric view of a portion of the vehicle of FIG. 1, againshowing the apparatus of the present invention installed thereon;

FIG. 3 is an exploded view showing the components of the presentinvention;

FIG. 4 is a front elevational view of the apparatus of the presentinvention;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line 55 of FIG. 4; and

FIG. 6 is a top view of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In FIGS. 1 and 2, there is showna van type automotive vehicle 10 having a front access door 12 locateddirectly above the right front wheel 14 of the vehicle 10. The wheelcomprises a tire 16, and has a hub cap 18.

To provide convenient ingress and egress through the front doorway,there is provided a step assembly, generally designated 20. This stepassembly has three main components: a mounting member 22 whichordinarily remains fixed to the front spindle of the automobile; a stepmember 24 which interlocks with and is easily removable from themounting member 22; and a retaining spring member 26 which holds theother two members 22 and 24 securely in interlocking relationship.

With reference specifically to FIG. 3, the existing front spindle of theautomobile comprises at its outer end a threaded stud 28 on which arethreaded one or more jam nuts (one of which is shown at 30), which pressagainst a bearing plate 32 which retains the wheel 14 on the frontspindle. A dust cap 34 is mounted to an 7 annular shoulder 36 of thebearing plate 32, and a dust seal 38 fits within the cap 34 and aroundthe stud 28. In some vehicle models, there is a retaining tab 40 whichfits around the stud 28 to hold the jam nut 30 in place. This tab 40 hasa center opening 42 and two oppositely extending ears 44 which can bebent around two opposite faces of the jam nut 30. To prevent rotation ofthe jam nut 30 and the tab 40, the tab has an inwardly protruding finger46 which fits in a related slot 48 formed lengthwise in the stud 38.These components numbered 28 through 48 and described above, exist inthe prior art in present day automobiles. To utilize the apparatus ofthe present invention, the only modifications needed are that a centerhole 50 be formed in the dust cap 34 and a center hole 52 be formed inthe wheel hub cap 18.

To describe now the step assembly 20 of the present invention, theaforementioned mounting member 22 is formed as an extension nut whichcomprises: an inner hexagonal nut portion 54, a shank portion 56extending outwardly therefrom, a neck portion 58 of a diameter smallerthan the shank portion 56 and extending outwardly therefrom, and-anouter locking head 60 which, as shown herein, is of hexagonalconfiguration. The inner end of the mounting member 22 is internallythreaded so that it can be threaded onto the external threads of thespindle stud 28. After the mounting member 22 is so threaded on the stud28, the aforementioned retaining tab 40-(which is positioned between theexisting jam nut 30 and the inner nut portion 54 of the mounting member22) has its ears bent around opposite sides of the inner nut portion 54to retain the mounting member 22 to the front spindle. The mountingmember 22 is so dimensioned that the neck portion 58 and locking head 60thereof extend moderately beyond the outer surface of the hub cap 18.After the mounting member 22 is threaded onto the stud 28 and retainedthereon by means of the tab 40, it ordinarily remains there and does notneed to be removed for servicing of the car, changing a tire, etc.

The aforementioned step unit 24 comprises a horizontal stepping plate 62having a serrated or roughened upper surface 64. Integral with thestepping plate 62 and extending downwardly from its inner part is amounting portion 66 which interlocks with the mounting member 22. Thismounting portion 66 comprises two spaced downwardly extending arms 68which define a vertical, downwardly open slot 70 into which the neckportion 58 fits when the two arms 68 are moved downwardly around theneck portion 58.

Immediately adjacent to the two arms 68 there is formed in the mountingportion 66 of the step unit 24 a recess 72 which is shaped (as a portionof a hexagon as shown herein) to mate in interlocking relationship withthe locking head 60 of the mounting member 24. When the step unit 24 ismoved downwardly onto the mounting member 22, the two arms 68 of thestep unit fit around the neck 58 of the mounting unit 22 so as to becomewedged between the locking head 60 and the annular shoulder 74 of theshank portion 56 adjacent the neck 58. The locking head 60 mates withthe recess 72 of the step unit 24, so that the step unit 24 is preventedfrom rotating about the longitudinal axis of the mounting member 22.

The aforementioned spring unit 26 is formed from a resilient metal sheetmaterial and has an upper mounting portion 76 which is formed by foldingthe plate back over on itself. This mounting portion 76 thus forms ahorizontal slot which fits over a related flange 78 formed at the inneredge of the step unit 24. The step unit has at its inner edge a pair ofcars 80 which engage two outwardly extending protrusions 82 formed onthe mounting portion 76 to hold the spring unit securely to the stepmember.

Extending downwardly from the mounting portion 76 of the spring unit 26,are two spring arms 84. These two arms 84 define a middle opening 86 andreach down and aroundthe neck portion 58 of the mounting member 22. Thetwo arms 84 can be sprung moderately outward so as to resiliently gripthe neck portion 58 and hold the step unit 24 in place on the mountingmember 22.

In addition, the two spring arms 84 are bent moderately toward the innerportion of the mounting member 22. Thus, these two arms 84, beingpositioned between the annular shoulder 74 of the shank 56 and the innersurface of the two mounting arms 68 of the step unit 24, take out anywobble that there might be between the step unit 24 and the mountingmember 22. Thus, the spring 26 performs the dual function of resilientlyholding the step unit 24 in looking relationship with the mountingmember 22 and eliminating rattle.

To describe the manner of using the apparatus of the present invention,as previously indicated, it is first necessary to form a hole 50 in theexisting dust cap 34 and a hole 52 in the existing hub cap 18 toaccommodate the mounting member 22. The hub cap 18 and dust cap 34 areremoved from the wheel 14, and the mounting member 22 is threaded ontothe spindle stud 28. When the mounting member is properly in place withits locking head 60 in proper vertical alignment, the two ears 44 of theretaining tab 40 are bent outwardly to hold the mounting member 22 inplace. Then the dust seal 38 is inserted over the mounting member 22,and the dust cap 34 is placed over the dust seal and around the mountingmember 22. Next the hub cap 18 is placed on the wheel 14.

When it is desired to use the step unit 24 for entering the cm 10through the doorway 12, the step unit 24 with the step plate 62positioned horizontally is moved downwardly onto the mounting member 22.The two mounting arms 68 fit securely around the neck portion 58 of themounting member 22, with the spring unit 26 performing its dual functionof resiliently holding the step unit 24 in place and eliminating anyrattle of the step unit 24. The locking head and the mating recess 72 inthe step unit interfit with one another to prevent any rotation of thestep unit 24 from its horizontally aligned position. When it is desiredto remove the step unit 24 (for service of the car, changing a tire,etc.), the stepping plate 62 is grasped and lifted upwardly to bring thestep unit 24 out of interlocking engagement with the mounting member 22.

What is claimed is:

1. In an automotive vehicle having a longitudinal axis from front torear, transverse axis extending from side to side and a vertical axis,said automobile having a spindle with a ground wheel mounted thereon,and an access door above the wheel, the improvement a step assemblycomprising in combination:

a. a mounting member rigidly attached to said spindle and having firstinterlocking means thereon, said first interlocking means including alocking head integrally secured at the outer end of said mounting memberand a neck portion of reduced diameter spaced inwardly from said lockinghead,

b. a step member having second interlocking means engageable with saidfirst interlocking means by movement thereto in a direction generallyperpendicular to the transverse axis of the. vehicle, said secondinterlocking means comprising a slotted portion adapted to engage saidneck, and a locking head mating portion adapted to interlock with saidhead,

whereby when said step with its second locking means, is moved intolocking engagement with the first locking means, said step member isheld rigidly to said mounting member and said spindle for convenientingress and egress into and from the vehicle access door.

2. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said vehicle spindle hasan outwardly extending threaded stud thereon, and said mounting memberhas internal threads by which it is mounted to said stud.

3. The apparatus as recited in claim 2, wherein said mounting member isan extension nut which threadedly engages said stud.

4. The apparatus as recited in claim 3, wherein there I is a locking tabmounted to and fixed rotationally with, and engaging said extension nutso as to resist rotation of the extension nut.

5. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein there is a springretention member adapted to fit adjacent said slot means and said neckportion so as to press against said mounting member and said step memberto accomplish firm interlocking of the first and second locking means.

6. The apparatus as recited in claim 5, wherein said spring is attachedto the step member and yieldingly grips said neck portion so as toresist unlocking movement of said first and second interlocking means.

7. The apparatus as recited in claim 6, wherein said spring has a pairof arms which reach around said neck portion.

10. The apparatus as recited in claim 9, wherein said secondinterlocking means comprises a neck portion of reduced diameter and alocking head of increased diameter spaced outwardly from said neckportion and said second interlocking means has a recess portion adjacentits two arms to engage said locking head.

11. The apparatus as recited in claim 10, wherein said mounting memberhas an inner shoulder adjacent said neck portion, and the two arms ofthe second interlocking means fit around the neck portion and betweenthe locking head and the inner shoulder.

1. In an automotive vehicle having a longitudInal axis from front torear, transverse axis extending from side to side and a vertical axis,said automobile having a spindle with a ground wheel mounted thereon,and an access door above the wheel, the improvement a step assemblycomprising in combination: a. a mounting member rigidly attached to saidspindle and having first interlocking means thereon, said firstinterlocking means including a locking head integrally secured at theouter end of said mounting member and a neck portion of reduced diameterspaced inwardly from said locking head, b. a step member having secondinterlocking means engageable with said first interlocking means bymovement thereto in a direction generally perpendicular to thetransverse axis of the vehicle, said second interlocking meanscomprising a slotted portion adapted to engage said neck, and a lockinghead mating portion adapted to interlock with said head, whereby whensaid step with its second locking means, is moved into lockingengagement with the first locking means, said step member is heldrigidly to said mounting member and said spindle for convenient ingressand egress into and from the vehicle access door.
 2. The apparatus asrecited in claim 1, wherein said vehicle spindle has an outwardlyextending threaded stud thereon, and said mounting member has internalthreads by which it is mounted to said stud.
 3. The apparatus as recitedin claim 2, wherein said mounting member is an extension nut whichthreadedly engages said stud.
 4. The apparatus as recited in claim 3,wherein there is a locking tab mounted to and fixed rotationally with,and engaging said extension nut so as to resist rotation of theextension nut.
 5. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein there isa spring retention member adapted to fit adjacent said slot means andsaid neck portion so as to press against said mounting member and saidstep member to accomplish firm interlocking of the first and secondlocking means.
 6. The apparatus as recited in claim 5, wherein saidspring is attached to the step member and yieldingly grips said neckportion so as to resist unlocking movement of said first and secondinterlocking means.
 7. The apparatus as recited in claim 6, wherein saidspring has a pair of arms which reach around said neck portion.
 8. Theapparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said first and secondinterlocking means come into engagement by movement of said step memberwith its second interlocking means generally downwardly onto said firstlocking means so that said first and second locking means come intointerfitting relationship with one another.
 9. The apparatus as recitedin claim 8, wherein said second interlocking means comprises a pair ofvertically aligned arms having a downwardly open slot which comes intolocking engagement with said first interlocking means.
 10. The apparatusas recited in claim 9, wherein said second interlocking means comprisesa neck portion of reduced diameter and a locking head of increaseddiameter spaced outwardly from said neck portion and said secondinterlocking means has a recess portion adjacent its two arms to engagesaid locking head.
 11. The apparatus as recited in claim 10, whereinsaid mounting member has an inner shoulder adjacent said neck portion,and the two arms of the second interlocking means fit around the neckportion and between the locking head and the inner shoulder.